Refugees refuse to leave Australia centre

International Desk: Refugees held by Australia in Papua New Guinea have launched legal action over the closure of a detention centre.

Australia holds asylum seekers arriving by boat in camps on PNG's Manus Island and the small Pacific nation of Nauru.

The Manus Island centre is scheduled to close on Tuesday after a PNG court ruled it was unconstitutional.

Detainees argue the closure will breach their human rights by denying them access to water, electricity and security. Many are refusing to leave.

About 600 refugees and asylum seekers do not want to go to temporary accommodation in the Manus Island community, citing fears for their safety.

Last week, Human Rights Watch warned that the group could face "unchecked violence" by locals who had attacked them in the past - sometimes with machetes and rocks.

Canberra has consistently ruled out transferring the men to Australia, arguing it would encourage people smuggling and lead to deaths at sea.

However, PNG has said it is Australia's responsibility to provide ongoing support for the men. The Australian government has not clarified whether it will do so.

Source: BBC

risingbd/Dhaka/October 31, 2017/A K Azad